§ Mr. Sorensenasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied that the financial assistance granted as compensation or assistance to the banana industry in the British Cameroons is adequate to the need of maintaining employment in the industry and meeting the needs of labourers affected by present circumstances; to what extent the labour displaced, or likely to be displaced, has had to take employment in foreign colonies where working conditions are much inferior; and whether he proposes that action should be taken to avoid this and to safeguard the interests and well-being of the workers affected?
Mr. George HaltMy Noble Friend understands from the Governor of Nigeria that the financial assistance which has been given to the banana industry in the Cameroons under British Mandate is adequate to meet the existing circumstances, but the matter is kept under review. As regards the second part of the Question, no information has been received to indicate that the natives of the Cameroons under British Mandate have been forced to seek employment outside the territory; and this seems improbable, since the plantations in this Mandated Territory have never been staffed entirely from within the Territory. In the latest year for which statistics are available about one-third of the labour force came from the Cameroons under French Mandate.